By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter


Investigators Friday requested Hong Seok-hyun, former Korean ambassador to the U.S., present himself to the prosecution for questioning about Samsung Group’s illegal political fund scandal in 1997.

``We told Hong to be appear at the prosecution as a civic group, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, filed a complaint against him for his alleged involvement in the scandal,’’ a prosecution official said.

The civic group requested the prosecution investigate incumbent and former Samsung executives and Hong over their alleged corrupt ties with politicians.

A local broadcaster MBC reported in July that the nation’s spy agency eavesdropped on conversations among high-profile politicians and business leaders.

According to the report, Samsung provided slush funds to election camps of ruling and opposition parties ahead of the 1997 presidential poll. And Hong, then-publisher of the Samsung-affiliated newspaper JoongAng Ilbo, was allegedly the deliverer of the money.

The prosecution officially informed Hong of the summons through international phone calls and fax, and plans to question him upon his arrival to the country soon.

Hong, who resigned from the ambassador post last week, is still staying in the U.S.

The prosecution will also investigate the allegation that Hong was involved in Samsung’s bribes to former and incumbent prosecutors ahead of the Chusok holidays in 1997.

If Hong presents himself to the prosecution, it will be his second summons following the first one in September 1999 about the tax evasion scandal of Bokwang Group, of which Hong is a major stockholder. He was arrested at that time.

After Hong’s summons, the prosecution will decide whether to summon Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee.

Prosecutors are also investigating the source of a report that the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) lawmakers disclosed ahead of 2002 presidential election.

The lawmakers claimed it is a transcript of recordings of conversations wiretapped by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

The report contained conversations among politicians, businesspeople and journalists, including that between Rep. Lee Kang-rae of the Uri Party and Park Kwon-sang, then-president of a broadcaster KBS.

Investigators are considering summoning Rep. Chung Hyung-ken of the GNP, and former GNP lawmakers Kim Young-iel and Lee Bu-young, who disclosed the report in 2002, to question over how they obtained the report.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr